| Date | Rating | Comment
[Guest Comments: 13 positive, 0 negative]
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| 09/06/09 |
Positive
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Divers Heaven!!
We returned this morning from two weeks spent in the Sugar Cottage. It could not have been more perfect. The cottage was everything we expected and more. It is very well equipped having a coffee grinder, a 12 cup coffee maker, an electric wok, a rice cooker/steamer an outdoor grill.... The cottage has a large water cooler which we made very good use of and was filled as needed by simply asking for more.
The bedroom is very comfortable and has a door which allows early birds or insomniacs to watch TV in the living room while allowing those in the bedroom to sleep peacefully.
If you are new divers, or avid divers like us, you will be blown away by the beauty of the various dive sites Garry will share with you. With tanks, weights and air provided the value cannot be beat. When you add Garry's dive guiding to the mix it truly is priceless.
Garry is a great dive master who matched dives to the diver's abilities. He was equally good with newer divers and more experienced divers. He was enthusiastic about every dive and like any good dive guide was able to find many neat critters to show "his" divers.
He also dives by the motto "take only pictures, leave only bubbles."
Two weeks was not enough time to see all the dive sites Garry wanted to show us so we are forced to get back to the Sugar Cottage ASAP
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Mike & Monica Blake, Centennial, Colorado |
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| 06/17/09 |
Positive
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| Although there are only 12 comments here, at the cottage there are two guestbooks absolutely FULL of positive comments from other guests--we stopped counting at around 100. It's not hard to see why people gush about Gary and Susan's wonderful little SuGar cottage. It's a very private and comfortable hideaway and a great home base from which to explore the Big Island. The cottage itself was super-clean, had everything listed, and was very spacious. Gary and Susan were excellent and friendly hosts--Gary took us snorkelling and kayaking for free twice (providing all the gear), and the second time we were surrounded by a pod fifteen or so dolphins for about an hour. Whenever we needed anything--practical things, travel advice, tales of music in Las Vegas--Gary was on it. We would absolutely stay here again. |
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Sean & Cherie |
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| 05/15/09 |
Positive
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| One of the great things about living in Hawaii, is that you get to travel island to island. So close, yet worlds away. Coming to visit the Big Island from living on Maui, I thought I knew what to expect. Well, it was everything I expected and so much more. If you are looking for a true hawaiian getaway, then this is the place for you.Gary and Susan couldn't have been any nicer. There place is beautiful and lacks nothing. The perfect location, nesteled away in it's own little corner of paradise, yet close to anything and everything the Big Island has to offer. Having lived in Hawaii for years, I can't think of a better place for my stay-cation, or your vacation. Many mahalos again Gary and Susan for your warm and friendly hospility. Aloha |
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Sarah
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| 04/11/09 |
Positive
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| We stayed with Gary Oct 08. It was our first time staying at the Sugar cottage and it won't be our last. The cottage was comfortable and homey. Gary and Susan were wonderful and gracious. Gary took me out on dives everyday, don't tell anyone this, but Gary took me out diving even when I stayed at another house. Gary was like an old friend and their dog is cool too. |
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Steve & Kathy Rickman, Soldotna , Alaska
907 262 1601 |
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| 03/28/09 |
Positive
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We came back home safely (home...sweet home .. and right away leaking water pipe under kitchen's sink) ,but our thoughts are still on Hawaii with you .Thank you one more time for everything ,for your help ,hospitality ,amazing diving ,delicious fruits from your garden and most of that ,thank you for very "romantic " time spent in your cozy cottage ( small hideaway in paradise ).
We will send you some movie and pictures ,but you have to be patient,because after 6 weeks vacations we have to do a lot things first( make money for next vacations - I'm kidding).
Mahalo !!!!
Sincerely Jadwiga & Waldemar |
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Jadwiga & Waldemar |
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| 11/04/08 |
Positive
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| I just returned from my 20 night stay at the Sugar Cottage and had an awesome vacation! The location was perfect for me as I could travel south to Volcano National Park and over to Hilo or north towards Kona and on to the Waimea area. I really had fun SCUBA diving as Garry is very aware of diving safety and knows the dive spots well. He is as comfortable underwater as he is on land!! Since I had not been diving in a long time, he went out of his way to make me feel at ease. As a single woman staying alone at Sugar Cottage I couldn't have felt more secure. It was lovely to go to sleep to the night sounds of the tree frogs and wonderful to have all the items I needed to be self contained. I must say I ate my share of fruit from the trees on the property. Garry and Susan's hospitality made me feel right at home from the begining. I would absolutely stay here again! Rebecca 10/08 |
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Rebecca Hanson, Denver, CO |
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| 02/21/08 |
Positive
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| We had a lovely time at the SuGAr cottage for 9 days in January 2008. The cottage itself was clean and comfortable and had everything we needed: full kitchen, quiet surroundings, phone, TV, washer, dryer, etc. Plus we enjoyed the surrounding garden with the papaya trees that provided fruit. We were serenaded by geckos that sang to us, chickens that roamed around and soft bass notes in the distance from Garry’s tuba playing. We were greeted the first night by Mianel, Garry and Susan’s friendly and huge Great Dane, who would drop by from time to time and say hello. Garry is a Dive Master and he and his friend – also a dive master, took us diving twice. We are certified but had not gone for a long while and felt that we were in capable hands with a one on one ratio of instructors to us novice divers. Garry also took us kayaking and that was a fun adventure. The cottage is in a quite area and if you like to hike there are a lot of hikes in the area – one is just walking down the road that turns into a trail towards the water. It is about ½ hour to Captain Cook and another ½ hour to Kailua Kona so we stocked up on food and prepared a lot of meals at the cottage to avoid always being in the care. We took a couple of day trips – one to the volcanoes and the other to the Waipeo Valley – a fabulous hike! One of the highlights was swimming with the dolphins at Capt. Cook Bay. This was a great get-a-way and we’d recommend the cottage to the reader. |
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Jan Stephens, Willits, CA |
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| 02/20/08 |
Positive
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We just came back from 10 days in this delightful little cottage. Especially liked the sounds of the birds, tree frogs and Garry's tuba playing softly in the distance. Although the weather was not the greatest, we managed to see lots, the cottage is only about an hours drive to the volcanos and close to the great diving/snorkling spots. As a matter of fact, we did see the whole island - to the Pololu Valley one day and Hilo and the Waipio Valley on another - just as far as our rental car could take us. We even drove it down to Green Sand beach! We especially enjoyed kayaking and snorkling with Garry in all those great places close by. Garry's just a gem and worth his weight in gold, literally, as guess who free dove down to the bottom of Milolii bay to retrieve by diamond ring. So if you are looking for a quiet place, away from all the crowds and if you are divers/snorklers, this is definately the place for you. I'm sure there are many other nice places to stay in Hawaii, but no other come with the added bonus of Garry and Susan. Thanks for making our vacation so special.
Denis and Sandy
Vancouver (Coquitlam) BC |
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Sandy & Denis Prevost, Coquitlam, BC
604-469-0184 |
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| 02/02/07 |
Positive
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| We just arrived home from 2 weeks on the Big Island. The weather was good and we managed to see, I think, everything there was to see. We put just under 2000 miles on our rented car. There is lots to see and the cottage is central to all areas of the island. The cottage is very spacious and lacks for nothing in the way of amenities. The washer and dryer come in very hand for wet towels and bathing suits. It is very peaceful, so if you are needing a great get away from the rat race of everyday, this is the place for you. Garry was very helpful with things to see and do. (Susan was away on business for most of our stay) The ONLY down side was that most of the entire island roads are under construction, so do be careful driving. Do enjoy your stay, I know we sure did. |
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Barb and Murray, Alberta Canada |
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| 08/16/06 |
Positive
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The ohana was an absolutely wonderful place to stay. The setting is gorgeous and I loved the nighttime sounds. The home had everything we needed and was so cozy and the lanai was so much fun to have. I liked that we didn't need air conditioning - in Hawaii, no less.
Thanks Susan and Garry!
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Carolyn, Omaha, Nebraska |
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| 04/05/06 |
Positive
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I spent 3 delightful weeks in this corner of the tropics.
Garry and Susan were very helpful in making my stay in their guest
house perfect. The Ohona could not have been more comfortable and peaceful.
The screened-in porch is a writer's paradise. The bed was very comfortable and what could be more wonderful than to find a place where a single woman can feel safe sleeping with the windows open enjoying the breeze and the sounds of nature. The kitchen and laundry are well equipped and tidy making it feel like home especially for a long stay.
This is a great place to relax and enjoy Hawaii. |
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martha brahm, Memphis, TN |
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| 12/28/05 |
Positive
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Want to be on the Kona Coast, but in a quiet area during your stay? Want to visit Volcanoes National Park one or more times without the 4-5 hour drive one-way from Kailua or Kohala? Want to go diving with an excellent dive master? This cottage is for you!!
We wanted to stay on the sunnier west side of the island, but away from the crazy resort area. We were also interested in scuba diving. We couldn't have been more pleased with our choice. Garry & Susan are gracious hosts, and Garry is a dive master specializing in shore dives (no boat cost, and go when you want -- not according to a boat's schedule.) SuGar cottage is free-standing, quiet and private. It's located near some of the better diving and snorkeling spots, too. It's near enough to the volcano that you can see the nighttime lava flows and still get home at a reasonable hour. One other benefit we didn't realize before we arrived was the proximity to the small towns of the South Kona area, along Hwy 11 - Captain Cook, Kainaliu, Kealakekua, Honaunau. These towns have lots of funky shops and restaurants, many featuring locally grown foods. And, this is where the Kona coffee plantations are - yum! Thanks again, Garry & Susan! |
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Julie Cole |
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| 07/09/05 |
Positive
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| Had a delightful time during our stay in early June. It is in a quiet, restful setting with beautiful native plants. It was completely self-contained. Convenient location for touring the island. The big plus was the owners scuba diving tours! He is an expert on scuba and knows the best locations for diving on the island. |
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Elizabeth Morris, Missouri City, TX |
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